Short Stories. Photos and pictures. Poems even.

Sunrise over Monument Valley

We settled early into the hotel, the only one in Monument Valley Navajo Tribal Park. Set the luggage on the floor and pulled the draperies open! WOW! The hotel is aptly named: The View. From the balcony opened up a vast view over towering rocks, the East Mitten Butte, the Merrick Butte and the Elephant Butte! We sat in there a few hours just watching the sun set over the valley and coloring the soft brown rocks to gold.

We had booked a sunrise tour for the next morning, at 5 am. It was pitch black, our Navajo guide was waiting in the lobby. His name was Clint. We climbed into his truck and started the most bumpy road! It was actually build by John Ford for a movie, Stagecoach 1939, starring John Wayne. Stopping and trying to take the first picture was not easy as I did not have my flash light. Or maybe did, but didn’t find it. Clint tells me where to set the ISO and open the Aperture to the widest I can. I got this one:

The drove further into the valley to wait the sun rise by the Totem Pole. Clint was telling us the names of tens of the rocks, which were familiar to my husband. Above we have the Mitten and the Merrick Buttes, the second sunrise picture is by the Totem Pole. This is not my backyard but he has waited for years to visit, this was one of his dream vacations! I kept joking, who wants to see sand and rocks! Please do not tell him, I was mighty impressed. The Navajo tribe and their believes and their respect for this Earth were fascinating! Once the sun was above the horizon, it started to light up the brownish sand. It kept changing color to more and more orange until it seemed to burst out of the rocks themselves! We climbed up the mountain side a bit, and suddenly we were quite high. How did they tricked me again? While we were taking photos, Clint repaired a ledge which had collided, possible by some one having slipped on it. We talked about his family and about the Navajos. We talked about the movies and the Navajo government and the autonomy they had in the area. He explained how the plants in the area were used for medicine, food, coloring and even for jewelry. He had the most knowledge of quite a few guides we have met during our travels, he was full of stories. Back to the car and into another spot where the sun plays in the Morning and we did not want to miss that! *Open the Gallery by clicking on the first picture*